High-speed bearing



APPLICATION FILED MAE; l 8 I 9 2 0.

H. T. SHEARER.

' HIGH SPEED BEARING.

PLIQATIO'N FILED MAR. 18

Patented Dec. 5, 1922,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

unir :i

HARRYT. SHEARER, OF WAYNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA.

HIGH-SPEED BEARXNG.

Application led March 18, 1920. Serial No. 366,779.

T 0 altwwmt may concern:

Be it known that l, HARRY T. SHEARER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waynesboro, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in High-Speed Bearings, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates more particularly to adjustable journal boxes for high speed shafts, and specifically :tor grinding machines. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the most accurate bearing is essential to eiicient work, and one of the primary objects is to provide means for effecting the proper adjustment of the bearing elements without disturbing the position of the shaft and its relation to the other members of the machine.

llt is also well known that relatively snug bearings and a rapidly rotated shaft crea-te a considerable amount ot heat. rlhe alternate heating and cooling of the shaft in a grinding machine due to its intermittent use, has heretofore created stresses and strains in the metal,'which often distort the shaft with consequent defective operation and work. A further and important objectl is the provision of means that will substantially eliminate v'this diiiculty. incidentally this means is made to perform the additional function of keeping the dust and dirt away from the bearing. Another and important object is the arrangement of the adjusting means, so that the weakest point of bearing is away from the .point of greatest wear. A still further object is the provision of means that will insure the proper lubrication of the shaft at all times,

ln the embodiment of the invention disclosed in the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view` through a grinding machine having the improved bearings,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the bearing box adjacent to the grinding wheel.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View through the shaft.

The machine includes a suitable base 5 having spaced boxes 6,' through which extends the shaft 7 As the bearing elements of each box are substantial duplicates, a description of one will sutce for both.

Surrounding the shaft within the box 6 is a compressible bearing member in the form of a sleeve 8 that is externally tapered, and is split, as shown at 9. 1t is furthermore provided with longitudinal slots 82L that weaken the same to permit its contraction and expansion. interposed between the box 6 and the bearing sleeve 8 is a tapered compressing sleeve 10 constituting a wedge that will contract the sleeve 8, upon its longitudinal movement, as will be clearly evident. rllhe sleeve 10 is held against rotation by a key screw 11 engaging in a longitudinal slot 12 in the sleeve 10, said slot permitting the free longitudinal movement of said sleeve 10. The sleeve 10 projects beyond opposite ends of the box 6 andthe projecting ends are externally threaded to receive the internal threads of adjusting nuts 13 and 141, .said nuts having inwardly extending flanges 15 that bear against transverse faces formed by the ends ot the sleeves 8 and having thickened outer portions 16 that bear against the ends of the box 6. it will thus be noted that the compressing sleeve 10 can be shifted longitudinally by proper manipulation of the nuts 13 and 14, while the bearing sleeve 8 will be effectively held against any longitudinal movement.

r1`he box 6 is provided with a suitable lubricant directing port 17 that communicates with ports 18 in the sleeves 8 and 10, to permit the supply of lubricant to the bearing. Said box is also provided with a lubricant well 19in which is located a spring supported lubricant wick or applying device 20 that bears against the underside of the shaft, this wick being preferably, though not necessarily, made of laminated sheets of woven wire. Spiral 'distributing grooves 21 are formed in the periphery of the shaft within the bearing sleeve to spread the lubricant over the bearing surface. The shaft is also preferablyvprovided with tangential vacuum pockets 22, which as illustrated in Figure 3, are rearwardly arranged. In other words, their open mouths are behind their closed bottoms when the direction of rotation of the shaft is considered, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 3. The open mouths of these pockets travel across the lubricant applying device, and due to the rapid rotation ofthe shaft a partial vacuum is formed therein which tends to suck up the oil through the wick and insures its delivery to the bearing surfaces, Y I

For the purpose of effectively locking the bearing sleeve 8 after it has been adjusted,

the means shown more particularly in Figoutwardly, thus expanding the sleeve 8,

against the sleeve 10.

Fixed upon the shaft 7,l between the boxes 6 is a driving pulley 27, and interposed between said pulley and the adjacent nut 13 of the rear bearing, is a thrust bearing element in the form of a washer 28 preferably pinned as illustrated at 29 to the pulley. Threaded on the rear end of the shaft is a retaining nut 301 preferably split and adapted to be compressed upon the shaft by a suitable transverse screw or bolt 31. This nut is provided with a thrust bearing in the form of a disk 32 pinned, as shown at 33 to the nut 30 and acting in opposition to the thrust bearing 28. The nut 30 and thrust bearing 32 are enclosed by a suitable cap 34 that is threaded upon the outer nut 14.

The well 19 of the rear box 6 is provided with an overflow duct 35 that 'communicates with the central opening of the nut 14 through which theshaft passes,and the split portion of the nut 30 having communication with this bore, it will be evident that any overflow will find an outlet into the cap 34. A port 36 in the lower side of the cap 34 serves to permit the discharge of the surplus lubricant. l

The front endof the shaft 7 is provided with a tapered spindle 37, on which is mounted the hub or center 38 of a grinding wheel 39, said grinding wheel having a guard or shield casing 40 partially enclosing the same, as well understood. The rear side of the center or hub 38 is provided with an annular groove 41 having a flared outer wall and the nut 13 of the front box 6 has anoutwardly flared flange 42 that is 1oc-ated in the annular groove 41. Thus overlapped elements are. provided that serve to prevent the passage of dirt and dust toward the shaft and its bearing, while the inclined outer wall of the groove 41 throws outwardly by centrifugal force any waterl or dirt that may reachthe same.

The shaft 7 is furthermore provided with a longitudinal bore or conduit 43 that opens through the rear end of said shaft, the cap 34 preferably having a port 44 in line with the open end of said bore 43. This bore terminates substantially atthe basev of the spindle 37 and a plurality of radial ports 45 lead from the inner end of the bor' or conduit 43 to the periphery of the shaft between the adjusting nut 13 and the wheel center or hub 38. This bore or conduit with the radial ports performs a plurality of functionsk In the first place it eliminates the metal bore of the shaft and does away to a very material degree with the stresses and strains that are set up in the shaft, due to alternate cooling and heating. Furthermore because of the high Ispeed of said shaft the radial ports create any outward current of air and a consequent flow of air through the shaft from its rear end. The heat of the bearings is thereby carried off and exeperience has demonstrated that with these high-speed bearings where considerable heat is generated, distortion of the shaft is eliminated.

Moreover the air circulation through the shaft effects `an outward How of air between the grinding wheel and the adjacent bearing box, thus serving to keep the dust ani dirt away from the latter.

It will be noted by reference to Figure 3 that the split 9 of the bearing sleeve 8 is located between the vertical and horizontal planes in which the axis of the shaft is located, and it is furthermore on the opposite side of the vertical plane tothe portion of thebearing 8 against whichthe greatest strain and wear comes. In explanation of this, it will be evident that if the shaft is rotated in the direction as indicated by the arrow in Figure 3, the pressure of the work tends to lift the said shaft toward the top, inasmuch as it is the portion of the grinding wheel having the downward movement which acts upon the work. The belt pull being to the right serves to make the resultant angle of lateral movement of the shaft to the upper right hand portion and consequently this portion of the sleeve receives the greatest strain and wear. The split portion, it will be noted, is substantially 90 away from this thrust action of the shaft.

In order to adjust the bearings, it is only necessary to turn the screws 26 in order to move the wedge bar 25 inwardly. If the bearing is to be tightened the nut 14 is loosenedV and the nut 13 turned to draw the compressing or wedge sleeve 10 toward the same, thus contracting the sleeve 8. This movement, it will be observed does not affect the position of the bearing sleeve, since said sleeve is eectively held against longitudinal movement with the sleeve l0 as it bears against the nut 13,' and said nut in turn bears against the box 6. When the desired adjustment has been obtained the nut 14 is screwed down against the box 6 and the screws 26 are turned to draw the bar 24 outwardly, thereby expanding the sleeve 8 firmly against the sleeve 10.

. box.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be'understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. ln a structure of the character set forth, the combination with a shaft, of a box for the same having a transverse face,

'a compressible bearing member having' a' transverse face, a compressing member interposed between the bearing member and the box, and means engaged with the compressing member for moving the same, said omeans having bearings against the transverse faces of the box and bearing member. 2.' 1n a structure of the character set forth,

- the combination with a box and a shaft therein, of a compressible bearin member surrounding the shaft, a compressing member interposed between the box and the bearingnnember, and an adjusting device having an- 'adjustable engagement with the compressing member and bearing againstan end of the bearing member and an end of the 3. 1n a structure of the character set forth, the combination with a box: i and a shaft therein, of a compressible bearing member v surrounding the shaft within the box and spaced therefrom, a compressing wedge in the space, and an adjusting nut having a threaded engagement with the, wedge and having a bearing against the box and the bearing member to hold the bearing member and the nut against longitudinal movement.

4t. ln a structure of the character set forth, the combination with a box and a shaft therein, of an externally tapered compressible bearing sleeve on the shaft within the box, alongitudinally movable wedge sleeve interposed between the bearing sleeve and box, and an adjusting nut/having an outer bearing against the box, an `inner ybearing against the bearing sleeve and an intermediate threaded engagement with the. wedge sleeve.,

5. ln a structure of the character set forth, the combination with a box, of a shaft therein, a compressible bearing sleeve on the shaft within the box, a longitudinally movable Ycompresslng sleeve interposed between the bearing sleeve and box,an'd adjusting and holding devices fork the compressing sleeve adjustably engaged with the same and having oppositev bearings againstthe -box and bearing sleeve;

6( ln a structure of the character'- set forth,

the combination with a box, of a shaft therein, a compressible bearing sleeve on theJ shaft Within the box, a longitudinally movable compressing sleeve interposed between the bearing sleeve andbox and having its ends threaded, and adjusting nuts threaded on the said ends and bearing against the ends of the bearing sleeve and the box.

7. 1n' a structure of the character set forth, the combination with a box and a shaft therein, of a compressible bearing member surrounding the shaft, a compressing member interposed between the box and the bearing member, an adjusting device having an adjustable engagement with the compressing member and a bearing against an end of the bearing member and an end of the 'the bearing 'memberto hold the member and the nut against longitudinal movement, and a thrust bearing carried by the shaft and operating against the nut.

9. 1n a structure of the character set forth, the combination with a' box, of a shaft therein, a compressible bearing sleeve on the shaft within the box, a longitudinally movable compressing sleeve interposed beteen the bearing sleeve and box, adjusting `and holding devices for the compressing sleeve adj ustably engaged with the same and having opposite bearings against the box and bearing sleeve, and opposing thrust bearings for the shaft operating against the said adjusting and holding devices.

10. ln a structure of the character set forth, the combination with a box, of a shaft therein, a compressible bearing sleeve on the shaft within the box, a wedge sleeve interposed between the bearing sleeve and` box, means for holding the wedgesleeve against rotation while permitting itslongi-v tudinal movement, nuts threaded on the ends of the wedge sleeve-and having bearings respectively against the opposite ends of the bearing sleeve andfbox, and thrust bearings carried by the shaft and operating against the nuts. j

11. ln a structure of the character set forth, the combination with a box and a shaft extending thereinto, of a longitudinally split compressible bearing sleeve surrounding the 'shaft within the box, means for compressing the sleeve and means engaging the split portion of the sleeve for expanding said sleeve against the compressing means, said split portion andexpan ff ing means being located between the vertical y. and horizontal planes in which the axis of the shaft is located.

12. In a structure ofthe character set forth, the combination with a -box and a shaft extending thereinto, of a split compressible bearing sleeve surrounding the shaft within the box, means for compressing the sleeve, said sleeve having a longitudinal dovetail slot intersecting the split in the sleeve and 4said split and slot being disposed out of the horizontal and vertical planes of the axis of the shaft, a dovetail bar in the slot, and means for drawing the bar outwardly to expand the sleeve against the contracting means.

13. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination with a box and a shaft extending thereinto, of a split com` pressible bearing sleeve surrounding the shaft within the box, a wedge compressing sleeve interposed between the bearing sleeve and the box, means for movingthe compressing sleeve longitudinally and holding the bearing sleeve against longitudinal movement, said bearing 'sleeve having a longitudinal dovetail slot intersecting the split in the sleeve and said split and slot being disposed out of the horizontal and vertical planes o'f the axis of the shaft, a dovetail bar in the slot, and means passing through the compressing sleeve and engaging the bar for drawing the bar outwardly to expand the sleeve against the contracting means.

In testimony whereof, affix mysignature in the presence of two witnesses. s

J HARRY T.' SHEARER. 

